Beautiful Disaster
by Katie Day
Summary: A GaaSaku partial songfic inspired by the song Beautiful Disaster. Gaara and Sakura share a dance at the Konoha festival. First chapter Sakura's Persp, Second is Gaara's Persp.
1. Chapter 1

((Disclaimer) I don't own anything Naruto related nor do I own the song "Beautiful Disaster" etc etc.)

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER

It had been ages since a festival like this had taken place in the village of Konoha. In order to memorialize the long stretch of peace and re-enforce the bonds between the villages Tsunade had proposed a day-long celebration. Having trained under the Hokage for a couple years new, Sakura couldn't help but suspect that Tsunade had just wanted a whole day to induldge herself in her sake. Not that she nor anyone was complaining, though. The bright and joyful festivities were very much welcome and relaxing. It was nice to see everyone so happy and carefree. Sakura knew that it was one of very few times the shinobi like herself would get the chance to really let go.

It was rolling around evening now, though that did little to quiet the activity. The cool air came as a wonderful welcome while the never-ending dancing ensued at the center of the village. Everyone had begun to sweat by this point – the day had been warm and even warmer in the crowds. Sakura sat aside from the conglomeration to avoid the ever-rising aura of heat they emitted. Her cheeks were still red from when she joined in the dancing and drink. Now she was just pleased to sit on the crates lining the edge of Ichiraku and cool down. She suspected this must be a good night for the merchants feeding not only their home village but also the leaders of many others. They had stayed open way past their usual hours.

The pinked haired kunoichi rested her hands in her lap and let her eyes skim the crowd for faces she recognized. Many of her old classmates were easily found here and there amongst the craziness. Naruto was always easy to pick out – he was the "loud ninja" after all. Having expelled a lot of his energy dancing about like a wild animal he was replenishing himself on more than one shiskabob at a time. Beside him, Kiba was doing the same and she wondered if they were having an eating contest. Hinata completed their trio, though she wasn't taking part. Perhaps she was the judge.

At the edge of the dancing crowd it wasn't hard to spot the unmistakable black bowl cut of Rock Lee. He was currently taking part in a rather amusing form of dance with his teammate TenTen. He seemed to notice that Sakura was looking in his direction because he looked at her and flashed her the "good guy" expression complete with thumbs up. Sakura smiled and gave him a little wave. He wasn't a bad dancer by any means… it just seemed a lot of his moves were a tad outdated – or else they were typical "Gai" moves. She wouldn't have been surprised if the jounin had taught Lee every move he knew. A lot of them resembled the old age disco.

Sakura had to shake the thought of Gai in disco pants out of her head then.

There was a small crash off to the side that caused Sakura to lift her head. It was not big enough to halt the festivities but it was quite a sight nonetheless. Shikamaru had fallen backwards into a crate of open and waiting fish. Temari was looking down at him like he was the biggest clutz in the world. No doubt they had been dancing and hadn't watched where they were going. Temari and Shikamaru had a strange relationship where no one knew who was the dominant one. In everything they did it seemed they were challenging each other. Shikamaru wasn't about to give up his manhood to a woman and Temari seemed just as unwilling to let a man stand above her. It was a fair guess that they had been trying to fight over who was leading their dance. A small eruption of laughter followed their accident and it seemed Shikamaru had lost his pride for at least one night.

Things began to wane a little bit as the night drew on and the crowd thinned enough that Sakura could see to all sides of the village square through their gaps. She was scanning across the way when a bit of red hair caught her eyes. They fell across the square on the form of the Kazekage who sat on a stone bench in the flickering shadows of an unoccupied shop. It was then that she became aware that his piercing black-lined eyes were staring right back at her. Absently, she looked away as if she hadn't been looking at him at all. She knew that some of the other village leaders had attended but she'd almost forgotten Gaara was one of them now.

After a moment when she was sure he wasn't looking at her she lifted her eyes just slightly to him again. His hair had gotten slightly longer and a little shaggier than it was when he had joined them in the Chuunin exams. He seemed a little slumped in his seat, as if he didn't really want to be there. Once or twice a couple of shied girls approached him and either turned before saying anything or talked to him embarrassedly. Sakura didn't know what they were saying but considering their body language it must have been something along the lines of asking the Kazekage to dance. Gaara seemed about as interested in dancing as he did in the entire festival. He muttered a few words to them and lifted a hand to refuse them as politely as he could. The girls left him alone then, despite being a bit disappointed.

As he turned slightly to the side he caught Sakura's eyes on him again. Although her initial reaction was to look away again she felt it might give him the wrong impression – plus it would be rude. Instead, she lifted her hand slightly to give him a small wave. Gaara watched her blankly for a moment before straightening his posture and getting up. He glanced at her one more time before walking off to a place she couldn't see. Well, at least she tried.

As the night continued to tone down, the music played turned softer and the dancing slowed. It began to make Sakura feel a little bit heartsick. It made her think of Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't here. He'd been gone for what seemed like ages and she had begun to lose faith he would ever come back. It always plagued her with negativity to think of him anymore. She could barely think of any good times. Even when she tried to fantasize about him his face always changed to one of distaste and the words broke through everything, _"You're annoying". _She began to wonder if she aught to take the advice of so many of her friends and teachers and just….move on.

That didn't sound much more appealing.

She shook her head to clear it and rested it upon her palm. Just think about anything else, she told herself. This was supposed to be a happy day. Her mind searched for anything to pop up and replace her current thoughts.

Not so surprisingly, the first thing to come to mind was Gaara. Her mind numbly mused over the warped enigma that he was. There were times that he still made her wonder but he had become a lot more….what was a good word…? Tame? Maybe not, but it was the only word she could think of. He didn't seem as out of control these days. She suspected that it was because he had all the duties of a Kazekage to think of now. Was he still plagued by his inner demons, though? How distracting for a leader.

His shaded eyes flickered into her head and she began to wonder how a leader could work without ever sleeping. How did he function without sleep? She supposed if she had been forced to become an insomniac she would have gone a little crazy herself.

_He drowns in his dreams  
An exquisite extreme I know  
__He's as damned as he seems  
And more heaven than a heart could hold_

She suddenly became aware amidst her reverie that there was someone standing in front of her. Glancing up she realized it was none other than the object of her thoughts himself. She lifted her head from her hand and blinked a couple of times. Gaara simply looked down on her a moment in silence.

"Um… Hello?" she offered, continuing to look up at him. He still said nothing – a man of fewer words than ever – and lifted a hand to her. She looked at it as if it were a foreign object and then for the sake of not looking like an idiot she put her hand in his. He pulled her deftly to her feet at such a proximity that it caused her already reddened cheeks to flush deeper. Luckily, he didn't give her much time to rush to conclusions before he turned and let her away towards the emptying center of the square. So they were going to dance. Okay, she could handle that.

_And if I try to save him  
My whole world would cave in  
Lord, it just ain't right  
Lord, it just ain't right_

Once he had found a place that suited him Gaara slowed to a stop and turned to face her again, causing her to stumble a bit. She couldn't help but feel a little clumsy compared to how graceful he kept moving. He placed one hand on her slender hip and kept the other on her hand, but he didn't move at first. Sakura realized he was waiting for her to follow suit and she put her hand up on his shoulder hesitantly. With everything in the right place, Gaara fell into soft, slow motions. After a moment Sakura couldn't take it anymore.

"Going to say anything?" she said lightly, not looking directly at him.

"Why?" he asked simply.

"Um… Because the silence is overwhelming," she offered.

"Silence bothers you," he stated.

"No.. it's just…"

"I bother you," he corrected himself.

"What? No.. no, no..," she jumped to defend.

"You're nervous," he continued in the same tone he was known well for.

"You know what, just quit," she finally said in frustration. "You're the one who just dragged me up here to dance. I didn't ask to be interrogated…" She blushed deeply. For a split second Gaara's eyes seemed to hold a glimmer of amusement like he was doing it on purpose.

"You wanted me to say something," he said. Sakura shot him an agitated look but he continued to look at her blankly as if he meant it in all seriousness. She continued to dance with him in silence awhile longer. Just like his sand he was almost excessively graceful. His hand at her hip gripped there with just enough pressure to lead her without seeming possessive. He smelled of heat, a definitive masculine smell that wasn't bad but could easily send the hormones of all his recently acquired fangirls flying through the roof.

While Sakura idly admired this she couldn't help but wonder why he was dancing now when he seemed to have no care for it before. And why did he bother to ask, (if that was even asking), her?

_Oh and I don't know  
I don't know what he's after  
But he's so beautiful  
Such a beautiful disaster_

She realized that she was looking straight at him now, into his eyes and he was staring back, unblinking.

"Why?" she finally asked.

"What?" he asked, whirling her out to the side before bringing her back in to where he her back was against him, their clasped hands crossing her front.

"Why are you dancing with me?" she completed the phrase. He whirled her out and brought her in straight, catching her eyes again.

"Why not?"

"You're difficult."

"Yes." Sakura offered him a crooked, half quizzical and half amused expression. The very slight beginnings of a smirk quirked at Gaara's lips.

_And if I could hold on  
Through the tears and the laughter  
Would it be beautiful?  
Or just a beautiful disaster_

"You like dancing then," she tried after a moment, trying to break this code.

"No," he replied, again simply. "I hate dancing."

"Then why are you dancing?" she asked, confused. He swept her close, bringing his hand against the small of her back and stared at her closely for a moment, mere inches from her face. He didn't answer.

_He's magic and myth  
As strong as what I believe  
A tragedy with  
More damage than a soul should see_

Needless to say, Sakura was thoroughly confused by now. She had no idea what was going on beyond the obvious. Her analytical mind that craved concrete answers to everything begged her to continue her search but the other half told her to forget it. Part of her just didn't care. She was really beginning to enjoy herself. As strange as it was to be dancing with Subaku no Gaara, the fact is she was. Was there any need to really question it? She supposed she would have plenty of hours in the days to come to mull over it – when Gaara had returned home to his duties.

_And do I try to change him  
So hard not to blame him  
Hold me tight  
Baby, hold me tight_

It was a pleasure to not think for once, just to let things be. All things forgotten all she knew was she was being held close by a gentleman. As forceful and raging as Gaara was in battle he more than made up for it in softness now. Even if his visage and his tone never changed, his body language did. His hands were gentle, as if he was afraid he might break her. His motions were unrushed. He seemed incredibly attentive to everything about her. Every time her eyes rose he had his locked onto them. Was he trying to read her, maybe?

_Oh 'cause I don't know  
I don't know what he's after  
But he's so beautiful  
Such a beautiful disaster_

"You're different," she said lightly.

"I thought I was difficult."

"That too," she chuckled softly. "But you're not…. Harsh."

"I don't need to be," he replied.

"That's true." She continued to watch him a little warmer and a little less nervous.

_And if I could hold on  
Through the tears and the laughter  
Would it be beautiful?  
Or just a beautiful disaster_

"What about now?"

"What?"

"Do you like dancing now?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." Gaara eyed her waywardly.

"I've never been what I seem." Sakura pondered this a moment and then decided it was true.

_I'm longing for love and the logical  
But he's only happy hysterical  
I'm searching for some kind of miracle  
Waited so long  
So long_

There were very few people out in the square now with them, allowing them more room to move. They didn't seem to need it, however, as they continued to stay close and their dance waned to soft sway. Sakura pulled her hand from his, which he released readily, and brought her arms up around his neck. Gaara's free hand remained lifted a little and he seemed unsure of what to do with it. He turned his head to glance away from her, his body and his motions becoming a little stiffer.

Sakura's brows curved up as she noticed this change in his demeanor. He didn't stop dancing with her but it was obvious he was suddenly very uncomfortable with her familiarity. She pulled back slightly and loosened her hold around his neck so her hands rested on his shoulders. He was okay with being near people as long as he was in control, but the minute she took initiative he became uneasy.

_He's soft to the touch  
But frayed at the end he breaks  
He's never enough  
And still he's more than I can take_

"Sorry," she said with a light smile, trying to lighten the mood of things. Awkwardly, he glanced back over at her, seeming to relax once there was space between then. She felt him release a breath she didn't know he'd been holding. She pressed her hand against his again to let him know they could go back to the way they were dancing before. His eyes wandered to their hands and he bowed his head slightly.

"Turn around," he said. She tilted her head, confused.

"What?" His hands moved to her shoulders and he gently turned her around. She blinked and then felt his hands over her arms, sliding down to grasp hers and pull them up to embrace herself. She could feel her cheeks growing red again as he stepped close behind her, feeling his warmth against her back. They stood like this for a moment and Gaara gradually began to relax behind her, his arms loosening their nervous grip against hers.

_Oh 'cause I don't know  
I don't know what he's after  
But he's so beautiful  
Such a beautiful disaster_

"Are you okay?" she finally whispered back to him. He had his eyes closed and only opened them a little to her question as he stood close to her, drinking in her warmth and her smell.

"Yes."

"Sure?"

"Yes," he murmured. He was so close she could feel his breath on her shoulder and neck when he spoke. She couldn't help but swallow a little thickly.

"You're nervous."

"Yes," she replied.

"Why?"

_And if I could hold on  
Through the tears and the laughter  
Would it be beautiful?  
Or just a beautiful disaster_

"Because I don't know what you're doing," she replied, honestly.

"Me either," he replied.

"Good. We're in the same boat then," she said, coaxing herself to relax in his embrace. Leaning back into him a little she was almost sure she could feel his heartbeat against her back. "Are you nervous?"

"No."

"You're lying." Gaara said nothing and simply closed his eyes again, resting his head just lightly against hers. Sakura cracked a soft smile and closed her eyes, letting herself drown in the dying light and music……

_He's beautiful  
He's such a beautiful disaster_

…..and this beautiful disaster.


	2. Chapter 2

(Originally a songfic on its own, this fic was removed because the lyrics used weren't in the public domain. I still like the story, though, so I'm re-posting it, sans lyrics. This is the same story, with Gaara's POV. Enjoy!)

Why hadn't he just left?

Gaara found himself unable to answer his own question. He also found himself unable to rationalize any of his actions beyond asking her to dance in the first place.

It was true he hated dancing. He saw no real point in it – as he saw little point in anything for most of his life. His grace was natural, as flawless as the motions of his own sand, but he had never had a lesson in his life.

His presence there had been a mere formality – one to affirm the alliance between the villages. Temari had encouraged it although he suspected his sister had other motives behind her goadings. She hadn't taken long to slip from his company into that of another, a rather boresome fellow in Gaara's personal opinion. The whole affair held little stimulation for him, much less the spawn of the Nara clan.

When things began to pick up he veered as far from the crowd as he could without seeming that he was hiding in the dark of the outskirts of town. That would have looked a little suspicious. Sadly, as he might have suspected, being in the general eye of the masses around him made for little fun. It wasn't long before the young females, even girls half his age were giggling and shoving each other at him in an attempt to gain his attention. The whole production made the Kazekage want to dump them all in the fish buckets not far from where he was, but that wouldn't have gone down well.

He had just begun to fall into a bland daze – what he considered the only real sleep he'd ever manage – when felt someone's eyes on him. Instinctively, his own eyes snapped to the owner without need to search for them. The pale sea-green eyes glimmered at him for a moment before the pink haired kunoichi turned away. Gaara felt his chest tighten a little bit at the motion. If he hadn't iced over his rage ages ago he might have shouted _'Fine, look away. They all do.' _

He didn't bother to keep looking at her across the busy village square since she seemed to find it wasn't worth her effort to do the same. He didn't really care to look at those eyes anyway, he mulled. Those eyes only reminded him of people he would rather not think of.

Suddenly aware that his eyes had blindly fallen on a troupe of young girls in his distant thoughts, he mentally groaned. They thought he was eyeing them over, no doubt. He attempted to make it look as though he was turning his attentions elsewhere without seeming as disgusted as he felt. Sadly, the girls took no small hint and he was faced with yet another boresome attempt at winning his favor for a dance. Throwing on his usual, formal tone he politely dismissed them and ignored their whines of disappointment.

Something prickled at him again and he soon found his eyes landing on Sakura Haruno's eyes again. This time she did not turn away but instead lifted her hand in a small greeting with a faint smile on her slender lips. Gaara felt his innards take a bit of a jerk again. The friendliness on her face looked almost genuine. He sat there stiffly for a moment, unsure of how to respond, just staring in that predatory way he always did. After a moment things became awkward and he moved swiftly to his feet and turned to leave without returning the gesture.

He sauntered slowly past a couple of shops and a few people in search of his sister. They had been here long enough to establish a good image, there was no reason to stay any longer. When his keen eyes failed to find the tall blonde his stride slowed to a stop. Blast her. Temari was generally pretty responsible, but sometimes she was just a little too carefree for his liking.

His feet continued to lead him forward in no real direction while his mind clouded in a melancholy manner. When his eyes decided to focus on his surroundings again he became aware that he was standing right in front of Sakura. His feet halted almost of their own will and he turned towards her. The girl didn't seem to notice him at first, but when she did she lifted her head and looked at him with innocent eyes.

"Um…Hello?" she offered. Her voice broke through the awkwardness surrounding the situation and Gaara felt like reality had just smacked him square in the face. He hoped it didn't show on the outside – he was rather good at disguising things like this normally. His chest felt tight again, though he was slowly willing it to cease.

So now what? Was he just going to stand there and stare at her? He did the first thing that came to mind since words were failing him. His hand lifted out to her and she leaned back to look at it as strangely as if he were holding a trout in front of her face. Just when he was beginning to feel a little anxious he felt her fingers caress his palm and her hand take his. Instinctively, he grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet – ending up a little closer than he'd meant to be with her. He made no motion to suggest it was an accident, though. His breath caught a little in his throat and he held it when her feminine scent washed over him. The breath remained still where it was until he turned to lead her out into the dancing space.

_What are you doing?_ He heard a voice ask him. It took him a moment to realize it was his own inner voice – one he didn't hear much over the tanuki's most of the time. His body moved almost of its own accord in every following second and he felt as if he was merely watching everything from inside.

When he stopped and turned to face her again, his hand moved to the warmth of her hip, the other continuing to gently grasp the hand he held. He had picked up the posture from those around them without so much as a wayward glance at them. He sensed their movements and their gestures with a third vision all shinobi were meant to possess.

He tried his best not to let the sudden childlike fear he felt claim his face. When he caught the eyes of the girl before him, her's staring back at him in all their warmth and readiness, he felt the stiffness inside him tremble. For the first time in ages he wanted to disappear again. He wanted to run.  
His body continued to lead him – this fearless cast of a warrior he'd sculpted over the few years of his young life. From what he could tell Sakura took little notice of any change in his feeling. Thankfully, he seemed to keep his usual, unwavering exterior just fine. It wasn't surprising. He had had plenty of bricks to help him build his wall.

Although Gaara felt a little bit comforted by the silence, the girl on his arm seemed to feel differently. It wasn't long before he felt the words crawling towards her lips. Quietly, she questioned his silence and he simply retaliated with another question. When she confessed the awkwardness of the silence he accused her of being uncomfortable with it. Instantly, of course, she began to stutter in an attempt to defend herself against the idea. Her timid ways began to rub the sand shinobi the wrong way and he blandly offered up what he considered a more reasonable reason for her nervousness.

"I bother you," he stated. Again, she jumped to deny the accusation. Dealing blows – it was one thing he was good at. He didn't want her idle banter – as if they were old time friends. He had hoped to quiet her with the verbal confrontation. To finish off the string of comebacks he simply stated that she was nervous, but her response surprised him a little. Instead of quieting under his barrage of words she demanded that he stop acting like he was. After all he had invited her to dance – she had not come to be questioned so. For some reason her response made his victory over her all the sweeter and he _almost_ smiled.

"You wanted me to say something," he couldn't help but adding. The icing on the cake. As he expected, Sakura looked at him in an annoyed fashion – almost catching on that he was egging her on purposefully. Gaara made sure that his expression flattened back to its usual uninterested visage so that she couldn't be entirely sure.

For a moment, Gaara got his wish and they danced in silence. He was free to explore the situation and think to himself. Moving from aspect to aspect he took it all in. The warmth that radiated from her body at such a proximity was something new, even more wondrous where he was allowed to touch her skin – at her hand and hip. He restrained himself from letting his fingers caress the softness of her flesh, although his instincts were driving him mad to do so.  
Females. He had about as much taste for them as he did for anybody. Everyone was the same in his insomnia burned eyes – his world painted in various shades of gray. They were all potential enemies. They always had been. Even his own mother meant little to him beyond blood and pain. He had never really known her. She was nothing beyond the enigma that hid deep within his sand. It was very little wonder he had little want to be near anybody – especially women.

Much to his dismay, however, he could feel himself falling victim to one fact – he was human. Despite the fact he felt more monster than anything, he was human at the core. He had the same human needs. The same _wants_.

Wants that Gaara had been unaware of were quickly surfacing in the few minutes he held the kunoichi close in their dance. He felt her.

Her heartbeat. Her warmth. Her _life_.

It was all so tempting he wanted to drink it all up given the chance – to somehow devour it and take it inside himself. He suddenly felt hungry and a growing insatiability for new things was erupting deep within him. No one would have known it, though, given his calm exterior.

He had been watching her the entire time, his eyes unable to focus anywhere else. Though her eyes wandered and her hair swayed over her fair cheeks, his never relented. It wasn't long before she looked back up at him and his stomach tightened momentarily as their eyes locked. She didn't look away. She just looked. Gaara wasn't sure if he was still moving – he wasn't even thinking about it. He had begun to wonder if he had drown in his own head until her words shook him out of it.

"Why?

"What?" he asked, sending her out away from him in a twirl in an effort to clear his head quickly. When he brought her back in he made sure she was facing outward with his and her own arms around her. He needed to escape her eyes, if only for a moment, for fear of getting lost again.

"Why are you dancing with me?" He needed a moment again, unsure of how to answer, so he whirled her back out and took a breath, reeling her back in to face him again.

"Why not?" It wasn't his most witty remark, but it was suitable enough.

"You're difficult."

"Yes," he agreed, simply. The kunoichi gave him an almost confused but amused look so cute he could barely contain a smirk pulling at his lips.

She insisted on prodding him then, asking him if he liked to dance. He responded, honestly that, no, he hated dancing. The look on the girl's face showed that he had her thoroughly confused now. Good. That was probably best. Keep her curiosities at bay. Answer one question and she'll just ask more.

"Then why are you dancing?" she needed to know. Gaara realized even he had no real answer for that. In the midst of the minor silence, he'd started to stare at her again and barely even heard the question in the first place. He brought her close, staring at her deeper, willing himself to withstand the daze her eyes caused him to fall into. Sakura seemed to fall into her own daze and ceased her questions. Gaara's hand found her back and eased her closer to him. Just a little more. Even warmer. Her scent is _stronger_. _Just let me bury myself here_.

She moved so easily with him. She followed him. She did not pull away. Or scream. Or run. She was precious.

Gaara continued to watch her, unrelenting, though his eyes began to reflect a slight glimmer of yearning. He moved with her slowly – trying to will time itself to slow, and just then it seemed to. He became aware of her form, of her presence fully, and his hands guided her gently. If he moved to fast or held her too hard she would vanish. She would break. She would _shatter_.

And melt away into the wind. Just like mother.

_Please don't break._

"You're different," Sakura observed suddenly, in a quiet tone that brushed over him soothingly.

"I thought I was difficult." At least some parts of his brain were still working. He was as automatic as ever.

"That too," she chuckled softly. "But you're not…. Harsh."

"I don't need to be," he told her. He was afraid to be now. He was everything opposite. He had lost the will to care about what she saw and didn't see in him, though he could not bring himself to come as close as he really wanted.

"What about now?"

"What?"

"Do you like dancing now?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." Gaara eyed her waywardly, becoming a little more conscious of how he was conducting himself.

"I've never been what I seem," he defended quietly. The girl's silence spoke that she either agreed or didn't mind either way.  
The next few moments startled Gaara in ways he had never felt before. Hell, he hadn't been 'startled' for a long time in general. Sakura slipped her hand from his and moved to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling her slender body in close. Although he had wanted to pull her tightly into his arms and feel her close, he hadn't expected any of it to actually come about – much less from her. His body instinctively stiffened at her movement and he could barely stand it all. Despite his fight against it, he was beginning to fall again – drowning in all that she was. He closed his eyes, trying to hold his breath.

Sakura was aware of his discomfort, though, and he felt a sense of relief when she pulled from him. His eyes opened and he looked at her, her eyes regarding him with an unfamiliar concern. She gave him the gentlest of smiles – something he felt was never meant for him – and moved back to their original dancing position to restore his comfort.

He was dazed and a wonderful sort of dizzy. His hunger reared up inside him again. He had just had her there, just moments before, right up close where she needed to be. Where he _needed_ her to be. Now he felt a deeper sense of yearning and a slight bit of desperation to feel it again.

"Turn around," he told her. Again, she looked perplexed so he grasped her shoulders ever so slightly to coax her around himself. With only a bit of hesitation he slid his arms around her, over her own and pulled them up to embrace herself with his. When their arms brushed up over her stomach he could feel her chest heave softly with a deeper breath. Her back was against his chest and he could feel every inch of her warmth now.

Slowly, Gaara felt as if his body were melting as he relaxed behind her. His tensed muscles loosened and he held her even more gently, taking in everything about her. He was engulfed again and he closed his eyes to just let it be so. Even when she spoke again he made no motion to move.

"Are you okay?" she finally whispered back to him.

"Yes," he replied, his own voice sounding a little distant to him in his reverie.

"Sure?"

"Yes," he murmured. He carefully leaned in closer to her, smelling the skin of her neck and shoulder and the sweetness of her pink hair. He wanted to press his cheek against it, to feel the softness, but he had enough logic in his head to tell him not to be too hasty. Sakura had already begun to tense up slightly when he moved closer. He felt and heard her swallow anxiously.

"You're nervous."

"Yes," she replied.

"Why?" His heart ached a little now, at the thought that she might want to leave him, and yet he couldn't make himself pull away.

"Because I don't know what you're doing," she replied, honestly.

"Me either," he replied. He really didn't. Even his responses seemed to just spill out of his mouth like water without any second thought. She could have asked him anything now and he would have answered. Straightforward. No games.

Thankfully, Sakura seemed to keep a good sense of humor about the entire thing and simply agreed that they were feeling the same now and that was okay. He felt her relax back into his arms and he felt his heart speed up a little bit. His lips parted in a gentle sigh.

"Are you nervous?" she almost jokingly prodded.

"No," he instinctively responded.

"You're lying," she said softly. He decided to let her win this one and with her newfound comfort showing, Gaara submitted to his desire to rest his head down against hers. Once or twice his arms tightened around her, testing. She was not breaking, and yes, she was still there. She did not seem to mind and settled herself easily into him.

Gaara wasn't sure what all this was, why he was doing it, or why he was enjoying it. He didn't want to think about it. He just wanted to be inside it. A part of it.

He wanted to know what love really was.


End file.
